55 Killed in Turkish Airstrikes on PKK Positions in Iraq

Turkish security sources have reported the death of at least 55 members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in airstrikes on the group's camps in northern Iraq. According to Reuters, Turkish security sources stated that the country's military jets took off from a base in Diyarbakir and bombed PKK camps. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also stated that attacks on 'terrorists' will continue until their complete destruction. Turkish media reported that since the beginning of the new round of clashes with the PKK, about 150 soldiers have been killed, while the PKK has lost around 1,100 members. A two-year ceasefire between the Turkish army and the PKK was broken following an explosion at a youth group meeting in the town of Suruç in southern Turkey, near the Syrian city of Kobani, in July 2015, which left at least 36 dead. Reports indicate that the meeting was held to discuss aid for Kurds fighting against the Islamic State in Kobani. Following that explosion, the Turkish army announced that several of its soldiers had been killed in PKK attacks and simultaneously launched attacks against the Islamic State in Syria and the PKK in northern Iraq. However, the PKK accused the Turkish government of conducting 'show' attacks against the Islamic State, primarily aimed at damaging this group. These attacks also intensified after the parliamentary elections on June 7, 2015, in which the ruling Justice and Development Party lost its parliamentary majority and was unable to form a coalition government, announcing that early parliamentary elections would be held on November 1. Meanwhile, the Turkish Interior Minister stated on Saturday to NTV that, at the order of Ahmet Davutoğlu, leader of the Justice and Development Party and interim Prime Minister, they intend to recruit an additional 5,000 militia members as 'village protectors' to combat the PKK. This 'village guard' force has been established since the 1980s to contain the PKK in Turkey, and according to Reuters, currently has about 70,000 members. In this context, an explosion in the Turkish border town left at least 28 dead, and Turkey claims the suicide bomber was linked to the Islamic State. Davutoğlu denied allegations of Turkey's implicit cooperation with the Islamic State.